Paul Powell's Promised Land -- Orrville

Thirty years later, there is still a mystique that accompanies the name.

Paul Powell was, from all accounts, one of a kind.

But it also speaks volumes about the community: this 40-year editor of the hometown paper seemed to be a hero, almost legendary, in this city.

From a journalistic standpoint, Powell broke all the rules.

He always crept into his stories; his writing was personal and sometimes even preachy.

But knowing the community, Powell must have understood something that is never taught in journalism school: it's different in a small town.

You know your sources; you see them daily and for the most part, you really care about the same things: the kids, the churches, the people and the issues.

Paul Powell came to Orrville in 1930 after working at the Ashtabula Star Beacon and the Wellington Enterprise.

His dream came true when he purchased the interest of James A. Higgins in The Courier-Crescent in Orrville.

For the next four decades, he would meet people, write about them, take a stand on issues and oversee the paper's weekly "birth."

Powell is probably most often remembered for his "Over the Fence" columns about life in the small city.

When bidding farewell in 1969, Daily Record publisher R. Victor Dix (then a colleague of Powell's) wrote that "No one has ever talked of Orrville more affectionately than Paul Powell. To him, it has always been The Promised Land."

Another colleague, Gunther Jacobson, wrote that Powell loved democracy and America. "I am interested mostly in a man's enjoyment in work and in his will to do his best," Powell told Jacobson. "What church he goes to on Sunday, how he parts his hair or what his private philosophy of life he may have is his own business.

"I don't think the world is going to hell -- it never embraced the teachings of any of the great leaders to get out of it, and the human race stays just about the same through the centuries. Most things come out all right in the wash ..."

Grace Putnam Schantz was also part of that interesting time in Orrville. Having just graduated from college, she took a summer internship in Orrville after doing an honors project on "small-town journalism."

"He was one of my heroes," Schantz said. "Most of the real business of Orrville took place in the back room at the old Courier office."

She said that the "movers and shakers" would come into his office to talk things over. Powell would write an editorial to get community support and things happened. "I'm convinced that that's how Orrville got Orr Park," she said. "He saw that the right things happened."

"I am grateful to him for the role he played in my life," she said.

The Paul Powell Award was started at his retirement to honor his contribution and that of those like him. When the Courier Crescent ceased publication in 1995, The Daily Record assumed responsibility for the continuance of the Paul Powell Award.

Powell died in March 1985, in his retirement home of Sun City, Calif. at the age of 84.

Honoring What Is Best About Orrville - People

By DARLA K. LANDERS

Orrville Bureau Editor

ORRVILLE

FORMER PAUL POWELL Award recipients (left to right) Mayor Dennis Steiner, Marguerite Wagner, Joyce Fast, John Kropf, Bob Hershey and Bob Reynolds are all still active in the community. Other living recipients not pictured, but still active in the community, are Bruce Schantz, Nellie Snyder, Hratchouhi George, John V. Monheim, Howard Wade and last year's recipients Tim and Jenny Smucker. Darla K. Landers photo

Historians have tossed around a concept for decades: is it the person or the moment? Were great things accomplished because the time was right or because some hardworking, intelligent person brought great ideas and moved on them?

Timing has been important, for sure, but without the work, vision, determination and inspiration of some of the citizens, Orrville would be a run-of-the-mill place.

One of the best sources in Orrville for finding good people is in the number of recipients who have earned the Paul L. Powell Citizen of the Year Award.

The 1998 recipient will be named at the Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce banquet Tuesday at The University of Akron-Wayne College.

Who are the former recipients and where are they today?

The 1969 recipient was former Orrville Municipal Utilities director Jim Specht. He died in 1969 at the age of 62. Under his leadership, kilowatt output leaped from 1,375 to 19,000.

Bruce Schantz was the 1970 recipient. Today, the Schantz Organ executive is still a pillar of the community. At the time, the committee noted his work in bringing Wayne General and Technical College (now Wayne College) to Orrville.

Fund-raising has been his thing: the Dunlap Memorial Hospital drive and the building program at Christ United Church of Christ, to name a few.

Oil man Sam Bohlen was named a Powell recipient for 1971. Bohlen acquired the land for, and oversaw the building of, the Orrville Public Library on North Main Street in the late 1940s. He also oversaw the construction of Orr Pool. He died in 1977.

Henry Perilstein was named the Powell recipient for 1972. Perilstein came to United States at 13 from a small community at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. In 1905, he became a janitor for his uncle, Joe Perilstein, in a newly opened store in Orrville. He had to learn to speak English and was promoted to salesman. With the death of his uncle, he assumed leadership of the store in 1952. In 1969, the Rev. Harold Meade, pastor of St. Agnes Church disclosed that Perilstein was instrumental in selling land to the Catholic diocese so that St. Agnes could be built. For that, he was awarded a Pontifical blessing from Pope Paul IV for helping to establish a Catholic Church in Orrville. He died in 1976.

For 1973, Dr. Robert Reiheld earned the award. He died in June 1981 at the age of 65. He was honored for his selfless contributions to medicine, as well as serving as the team physician for the Red Riders for many years.

For 1974, the father of the Orrville Area Boys and Girls Club, Ray Ziegman, was honored. In 1962, he received a benediction from Pope John XIII for his work with St. Agnes Church in Orrville. He died in 1983.

For 1975, two recipients, Robert Lacy and Gordon Hostetler, were named.

Lacy died in January 1981. When Orrville was incorporated as a city in 1950, he became the first safety and service director, a position he held until his retirement in 1976.

The committee noted when the award was announced posthumously for Mayor Hostetler that he was a "public servant of the first dimension." He supported adding an overpass at Walnut Street for emergency vehicles, bus service for senior citizens and initiating an electric intertie with Ohio Power.

Winna Hostetler was the 1976 recipient. She died two months after receiving the award at the age of 82.

Through her years as a philanthropist, she bestowed gifts to Dunlap Memorial Hospital, to churches of all denominations, provided choir robes for Orrville High School students, and provided $12,000 for paving the roadways at Crown Hill Cemetery. She and husband Chauncy also donated the land for Trinity United Methodist Church.

Edna Zieber, a teacher at Oak Street School, was honored for 1977 for a career that spanned one-half century. She died in 1990.

Bob Reynolds, owner of Reynolds Drug, received the award for 1978. He is still active in the community. Reynolds was encouraging a "new look" in downtown Orrville long before Streetscape. He also was instrumental in forming the Orrville Shade Tree Commission.

William "Bill" Baer, a former president of the Will-Burt Co., received the honor for 1979. He died in 1984 at the age of 68.

For more than 19 years, he served as a member of the Orrville Municipal Utilities board. He served on the board of Goodwill Industries, was president of the first Wayne County Citizen Task Force and was a past president of the Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Orrville Exchange Club.

For 1980, Orrville Salvation Army founder Bob Maiwurm was honored with the award. He died in 1994. His picture still hangs in the Orrville Service Center.

Carl Goldring was the 1981 recipient. Probably best known at that time for heading steering committees to get permanent improvement levies passed for the Orrville City Schools, he was a school board member for eight years -- and president for many of those years.

The son-in-law of previous recipient Henry Perilstein, Goldring became director at Nick Amster Sheltered Workshop. He died in 1984.

In 1982, 92-year-old Mary Gadson was honored. A midwife, she collected food for the hungry families in her neighborhood. She and her husband adopted three children -- including a 6-month-old baby who was placed on their doorstep. She died in 1990.

For 1983 came Donald "Spud" Meihls, who was known for the promotion of a city income tax that passed in 1960.

As president of city council, he also spearheaded projects to use those additional funds: enlarging the swimming pool at Orr Park, construction of a new fire station, two new water towers in the south and west ends, renovation of city hall and construction of tennis courts and softball diamonds. He died in 1990.

Nellie Snyder was the 1984 recipient. Along with Ray Ziegman, she was the driving force behind the Orrville Area Boys and Girls Club. She is still active, and the 1998 addition to the club was named after Lester and Nellie Snyder.

For 1985, Chester "Mike" LeFever, won the honor. A 33-year member of the Orrville Fire Department, he was chief for 10 years. He died in 1997.

Orrville Mayor Dennis Steiner, received the award for 1986. He has helped many individuals, in many capacities, often anonymously.

Marguerite Wagner was named a recipient for 1987 for her involvement in the Adult Basic Education program,. At 63, she is still active in the community. She was able to procure state and federal grants to fund the Orrville program and even added a satellite program in Rittman.

For 1988, Paul Smucker of the J.M. Smucker Co. was presented the award. He died in 1998 at the age of 81. In a 1989 interview, son Tim said, "Dad is extremely compassionate and that is the way he treats people."

For 1989, John V. Monheim was honored for helping save a pregnant woman and her husband from a burning car. He is still active in the community.

For 1990, insurance man Bob Hershey won the award. At 72, he and his wife Jessie are still active in the community. An abbreviated list of his involvements reads like a resume for success: Orrville Rotary Club, Orrville Booster Club, Orrville Band Parents, co-founder and co-director of Orrville Junior Drum Corps, Wayne County Chapter American Red Cross, Orrville Disaster Services chairman, Wayne County Children Services board member, United Way campaign chair, Boys Village board of directors. In addition, he served on two capital campaign drives for Dunlap Memorial Hospital and was an Orrville city councilman.

Attorney John Kropf was honored for 1991. At 55, Kropf is still active in serving the community. For many years, when there was a need, he has provided legal assistance free of charge to various organizations.

For 1992, Dr. M.C. Kropf received the award. He died in 1995.

The doctor treated people, regardless of their ability to pay. He and his wife Lucille were largely responsible for founding the Orrville Community Osteopathic Hospital in 1954 where he became chief of obstetrics and gynecology.

For 1993 the winner was, Iranian-born Hratchouhi George, who taught at Orrville High School for 24 years as a government and French teacher. She currently lives at Lincoln Manor in Orrville.

For 1994, a former Orrville City councilman and council president, Jess Forfia was honored. He died in 1998.

Forfia was well known for his opposition to the Pike Island power purchase. In his later years, he became a chaplain at the Wayne County Justice Center.

For 1995, another teacher, this time a 29-year-veteran in English, Joyce Fast was honored. She retired from teaching in 1996 and is still active in the community.

Howard Wade, former teacher, mayor and founder of the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society, was honored for 1996.

Wade's achievements include the renovation of the Orrville Municipal Building, the preservation of the Historic Depot, the ushering in of Black History books in the Orrville High School library and curriculum, and the initiation of the Rehm Performing Arts Pavilion. He is still active in the community.

Husband and wife team Tim and Jenny Smucker took the honors for 1997. In addition to various individual projects, the Smuckers worked together -- in different capacities -- on forming Orrville's Heartland Education Community Inc., which, in part, teaches character education to Orrville City School students.